Modification of 3D printed TiZrNb titanium alloy surface via plasma electrolytic oxidation

The implantology field is rapidly developing, which requires researchers to search for new personalized solutions. With the improvement of scanning methods in medicine, there is a connection to the science of 3D printed materials. While the surface treatment of conventionally made implants is widely researched, this study focuses on analyzing the surface of a 3D printed titanium alloy. The samples were subjected to plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) and subjected to scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray microscopy (EDX), wettability, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), cross section, Raman, and biological trials analysis. Oxide coatings composed of titanium oxide, zirconium oxide, and niobium oxide were formed on the surfaces of the treated materials. These coatings were enriched with calcium, phosphate, and amine groups. The surfaces differed in wettability, which did not affect their bioactivity. The results suggest that while the conditions of the PEO are slightly different for both groups of samples, they present with similar surfaces, which makes the 3D-printed alloy a promising material for implant use.